The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Chapter 75

ASTRA

Wednesday Night

I stood outside an old warehouse in the industrial outskirts of the city, heart hammering so hard I could heart in my cars.

The place looked abandoned, rusted gates, flickering streetlights, and the faint smell of diesel and damp concrete in the air But I knew better. This was where they operated. The loan sharks didn’t have fancy offices. They had places like this. Hidden Intimidating. Easy to make people disappear if they wanted.

I had texted them earlier, begging for a meeting. They told me to come alone at 9:30 PM.

Now here I was.

Two big men searched me at the gate before leading me inside. The corridor was narrow and dark. At the end, a heavy door opened into a dimly lit room.

A man sat behind a metal desk, older, maybe in his late 40s, with cold eyes and gold chains around his neck. This was the boss.

I sat down opposite him on a rickety plastic chair, hands trembling in my lap. Four goons stood around the room, all tall, muscular, and silent.

Chief leaned back, studying me like I was an insect.

“So… little Astra,” he said in a low, calm voice. “You missed last month’s payment.”

I swallowed hard, voice shaking.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, tears already burning my eyes. “I’m trying. I really am. My mom’s hospital bills… they keep increasing. But I got a new job. I’ll pay. Please, just give me a little more time.”

He sighed, almost bored.

“Little one… you think we run charity here?”

He reached across the desk and touched my cheek with the back of his fingers. I flinched violently, jerking away.

“Please,” I begged, voice breaking. “I’ll pay. I swear. I just need…”

The boss leaned back in his creaky chair, gold chains glinting under the dim bulb.

“How much are you being paid with this new job now?” he asked calmly.

I froze.

“I will not repeat myself,” he said, his voice leaving no room for argument.

I swallowed hard.

“Five thousand dollars monthly,” I whispered.

He hummed, tapping his fingers on the desk.

“And you have mounting hospital bills for your mother, right?”

1/4

3

O

G

O

12:00 Fri, Jul 3

Chapter 75

I nodded frantically, tears already slipping down my cheeks.

“That is not going to go anywhere for you,” he said flatly. “Not with the interest piling up like this.”

1 felt like ants were crawling all over my skin as he studied me with those cold eyes.

“I like you, Miss Hawthorne,” he continued, almost conversational. “You are very pretty and because I like you, I will offer you this.”

He paused, letting the silence stretch.

“There is a hostess job in one of my clubs. You could make up to ten to fifteen thousand a night if you do your job well.

My stomach dropped.

“H… hostess?” I whispered, voice cracking.

Some of the goons laughed under their breath.

“You’re 18, right?” he asked.

I nodded shakily.

“Yes.”

It dawned on me what he really meant.

The “hostess” job wasn’t serving drinks.

My blood ran cold.

“No,” I said immediately, shaking my head. “No, no, I can’t. Please.”

He smiled, slow and chilling.

“It will help you… meaning it will help us. I would hate to see this pretty face end up dead.”

I gasped, more tears falling.

“I’m giving you one week,” he said. “In one week, you get us the money… or you contact me for the job.”

I felt like I was going to be sick.

“A week? Please… that’s not enough time…”

“I will give you no higher than that,” he cut me off, eyes hard. “Have the money in one week… or start working for me.”

He slid a plain black business card across the desk. Only a phone number was printed on it.

“Choose wisely, little one.”

I took the card with trembling fingers, stood up on shaky legs, and backed toward the door.

The goons opened it for me.

I ran.

The entire way back to the bus stop, I kept looking over my shoulder, heart pounding, tears blurring my vision.

214

3

O

G

111

O

Chapter 75

One week

I had one week to find almost five thousand dollars.

Or/I would have to sell myself to survive.

Thursday Morning

“Astra! Astra! ASTRAA!”

The loud voices snapped me out of my thoughts. I blinked and looked up to see Lucas and Mason staring at me with worried little faces from where they sat at the kitchen island.

Then the burning smell hit me.

“Oh no, oh no!” I gasped, spinning around to the stove.

Thick black smoke rose from the pan. The pancakes were completely charred, edges black and crispy, centers ruined. I quickly turned off the heat and moved the pan, coughing as I waved the smoke away.

“I’m so sorry, guys,” I said, sighing heavily as I scraped the ruined pancakes into the trash. “I got distracted. Let me make new ones really quick…”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify